The present disclosure relates to bubble generating protein skimmers, which are typically used with aquariums, and other various methods associated with the removal of protein particle waste from aquarium water. Protein skimmers have been around for many years but without any self regulating internal water level controls to adjust for the constant changing water levels in the sump tanks that they operate in. Protein skimmers are used in aquariums and are essential for the health and water clarity of every aquarium. Proteins are toxic and are constantly being generated by fish and all living things in the aquarium. Protein skimmers remove protein particles from the aquarium water by generating and introducing air bubbles in a water filled air/water chamber where the protein particles in the water naturally attach themselves to the air bubbles when they come into contact with them then float upward through the air/water chamber creating a foam column above the internal water level where the foam gradually spills over into the collection chamber.
Sump tank systems are designed so the sump tank water level varies from evaporation while the main aquarium water level remains constant. Evaporated water is replenished by one of two ways by the aquarium owner.
1. Aquarium owner pours water into sump tank as needed manually. This method creates the greatest variation is sump tank water levels as the timing and amount of water added will vary when it is replenished.
2. Aquariums with electronic float controlled water level systems and dedicated water supplies have a consistent water level variation. These water level variations will be different depending on the system.
Protein skimmers having manual adjusting knobs, dials, valves, sliding gates, or stove pipe tubes as a means of adjusting internal water level require constant daily adjustment.
Aquarists, having to figure out how to adjust the internal water level height with the use of valves, knobs, dials, sliding gates, or stove pipe tubes, may not realize the problematic in-sumptank water level changes that alter internal water levels.
Aquarists manually adjusting air and water flow valves may improperly result in reduced water & air flows greater than manufacturer's intention resulting in poor functionality. Once flooding of collection container has occurred by owner's protein skimmer, owners tend to adjust internal water level more to the safe side of adjustments further minimizing the collection of contaminants from the aquarium.
Protein skimmers with no internal water level control system to compensate for sump tank water level changes, algae growth, water pump wear and voltage fluctuations are almost always off of their peak performance internal water level. When another appliance is turned on such as the high powered aquarium lights on the same circuit as the water pump, power level may be reduced to water pump changing the water pressure it produces. Aquariums have high powered lighting that is on during the day and off at night. This will cause power fluctuations to all items on the same circuit.
Other protein skimmers internal water levels are always changing, varying the distance of the internal water level to the top of the riser column “entrance of collection container”. When internal water level is low, the contaminants end up stuck to the sides of the riser column with a low accumulation of considerably dryer contaminants entering into the collection container if at all, resulting in very poor contaminant removal. When the internal water level is too high water flows freely into collection container at the top of the riser column flooding the collection container, forcing previously collected contaminants back into sump tank and into Aquarium.
An additional drawback associated with certain existing protein skimmers is a requirement to disconnect power to water pump in order to empty collection container in order to prevent water flowing down outside of protein skimmer.
An additional drawback associated with certain exiting protein skimmers is an inability to operate in low water levels as low as one inch without drawing in air from sump tank water's surface into water pump damaging or destroying it. Water pumps with a horizontally directional intake port need at least 2″ of water above port to prevent air suction from water's surface depending on HP of water pump.
Aquarists without automatic sump tank water re-fill systems which require a dedicated water supply connected to a water purification filter (R/O filter) with the water flow controlled by an N/C (normally closed) electronic water valve, in which the power to it is controlled by an automatic float switch in the sump tank, cannot keep other protein skimmer designs adjusted properly. These aquarist's without dedicated water re-fill systems pour water into sump tanks by hand at a varying amount of water and frequency of time. These aquarist's have the greatest fluctuations in sump tank water levels and protein skimmer internal water levels. Automatic sump tank water re-fill systems, depending on the range of the float switch's on and off height differential and the volume of the sump tank, can cycle as often as 2 or 3 times a day.
An additional drawback associated with certain existing protein skimmers is an inability of removing larger particles and material too heavy or too large to be removed by the process of foam fractionation.
Loud noise levels of hissing or sucking sounds may be caused by air intake ports where the air is drawn into the protein skimmer that creates the air bubbles.
Water falling back into the sump tank from stove pipes that allows the water to spill out the top of the pipe back into the sump tank may generate additional unwanted sounds.
Foul odors may be caused by the release of air escaping from the collection container which flows at the same rate as being drawn into the protein skimmer that generates the air bubbles.
External water pumps with extravagant plumbing configurations create a risk of breakage during handling, have large footprint requirements, and experience considerable loss of water pressure by friction through elaborate and excessive plumbing. Also increased surface area for algae growth inside plumbing further reduces water flow over time.
Failure of the water pumps may be caused by damage from turning them off & back on again (which is required when emptying collection container) or damage from sump tank water levels ending up too low allowing air to be drawn into pump from sump tanks water surface. Water pump failure is a very common problem according to online Forums.
Micro sized air bubbles escaping back into sump tank and back into aquarium cause clarity problems in the aquarium.